Crash

Released: 2004
Director: Paul Haggis
Writer: Paul Haggis

Crash centres around a number of characters of different races and social classes all living in Los Angeles and how there lives interact with one another over a period of 36 hours, through a series of crashes shootings and car thefts
The film is about some of the more negative aspects of human interaction, Centring mostly on racial stereotype and discrimination, this is shown through the various characters of different backgrounds and there interactions with one another when forced under extreme circumstances. It not only focuses on racial tension but also looks at the way we treat strangers in general.
Crash relies heavily on stereotype and audience expectation, but often contradicts the predicted outcome. With every new character, a new stereotype is introduced and then contradicted, serving not only to challenge the stereotype but also to reprimand the audience for thinking in such a way. The development of the characters is what keeps the films momentum going, each ones personality is designed so that they are alienated in their own way, this provides a far more dramatic conflict when they collide, because they are forced out of their comfort zones. There is a great deal of suspense needed to engross the viewer, Crash makes good use of time manipulation, especially slow motion, often drawing out an intense situation to make the viewer want a resolution all the more.
Crash is a moving and thought provoking movie, it allows grate psychological insight into its characters that engrosses the audience right from the beginning, to have done this effectively the performance of the actors has to be commended, the characters all have their specific roles to play to further the plot but none of them ever come across as one-dimensional. When simplified the plot gives all the characters a opportunity to break away from the cycle of prejudice, (whether they take it or not) which asks the question “are we all so different?” in places the film becomes a bit ‘preachy’ and often undermines the intelligence of the audience through unnecessarily obvious explanatory shots. But on the whole the film makes its point with effective impact.